Assembling a 4.3 MerCruiser v6 - Parts check needed

[Gibbles]

Well long story short, Last fall I bought a 1994 StarCraft Islander 221V with a cracked engine block!

I'm just now getting ready to get that fixed, and I have a rebuilt marine spec short block on order.

With that, it comes with the balance shaft, no heads, and no valve train.

For engine parts, I have this list from Melling.

 

[Gibbles]

The parts list,
Assuming I guessed right, the felpro gaskets are as follows.

Gasket Set: Intake, head gasket, exhaust, valve covers, and valve seals.

Fel-Pro 17211 Fel-Pro Performance Marine Gasket Sets | Summit Racing

Free Shipping - Fel-Pro Performance Marine Gasket Sets with qualifying orders of $109. Shop Engine Gasket Sets at Summit Racing.

www.summitracing.com

Gasket set: Timing cover, oil pan, and rear main.

Fel-Pro 17116 Fel-Pro Conversion Set Gaskets | Summit Racing

Free Shipping - Fel-Pro Conversion Set Gaskets with qualifying orders of $109. Shop Engine Gasket Sets at Summit Racing.

www.summitracing.com

Melling camshaft, Melling's part list said it's for roller lifters with the balance shaft.

Melling 22222 Melling M-Select Class 2 Camshafts | Summit Racing

Free Shipping - Melling M-Select Class 2 Camshafts with qualifying orders of $109. Shop Camshafts at Summit Racing.

www.summitracing.com

I about had a heart attack; Summit lists it as flat tappet..
I'll know when I have it in hand, the cam lobe profiles will be obvious...
Internet seems to suggests this is a nice Stage 2 hyd roller lifter cam like I'm expecting.

Melling timing chain set.

Melling 3-509S Melling Timing Chain Sets | Summit Racing

Free Shipping - Melling Timing Chain Sets with qualifying orders of $109. Shop Timing Chain and Gear Sets at Summit Racing.

www.summitracing.com

Melling Lifters,

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/MEL-JB-2079

Melling Pushrods,

Melling MPR-373 Melling Pushrods | Summit Racing

Free Shipping - Melling Pushrods with qualifying orders of $109. Shop Pushrods, Valvetrain at Summit Racing.

www.summitracing.com

Champ SparkPlugs,

Champion Spark Plugs 121 Champion Copper Plus Spark Plugs | Summit Racing

Free Shipping - Champion Copper Plus Spark Plugs with qualifying orders of $109. Shop Spark Plugs at Summit Racing.

www.summitracing.com

I think I might still need some of the gaskets for the marine water inlet stuff?
I'm not sure what I need if the kits didn't come with it?

Also I would like to freshen up the hoses while I have it apart, but again I have no idea what I need at this point...

 

[Gibbles]

This engine also saw a bunch of water in the oil when I first bought it,

Since I know people like pictures,
Image of the crack on the outside of the block as I found it.


Paint scraped away a little.



When I changed the oil for the first time, it was milky af.
Plus, the last owner said he was running 5w30

I'm not expecting much from the engine, just hoping the heads and intake are still good.

After I found the crack, I put in some 40w oil and took it out to test everything for a few hours, it ran great with a nice soft lope to the idle.

I think the PO drained the block but didn't verify by poking in the drain holes.
So, it got a partial drain.

What I don't know yet is what the oil pump will look like, and what one I need.

I assume I'll want the standard and not the high-volume pump?

Soon I'll have some lifter valley pictures, if all goes well I'm hoping to have the engine pulled this weekend.

 

[Gibbles]

I'm also planning to take the SN tag off of the original block and switch it over to the replacement.

I was thinking some stainless pop rivets, but looking at the image I took, I'm thinking it's solid rivets?
Really this will be just for future reference anyways.
SN starts with F3587**

 

[Gibbles]

Also, I assume I should be changing the distributor gear out with the camshaft...
Help with a part number would be awesome.

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,..... Yer gonna have a million dollar motor by the time yer done,....

Why, O Why, didn't/don't you buy a long block current issue crate motor,..??..??
You'd have a better motor, with more power, for a boatload less money spent,.....

 

[Gibbles]

Ayuh,..... Yer gonna have a million dollar motor by the time yer done,....

Why, O Why, didn't/don't you buy a long block current issue crate motor,..??..??
You'd have a better motor, with more power, for a boatload less money spent,.....

yeah, I thought about that.
The main thing I'm going for is simplicity.
Use the current carb, get it installed, timed, broke in, and run it!
(Runs great right now).

I was going to build from a later engine, but this saves me a solid month or more.

The short block was $1800 shipped.
I didn't quite expect the camshaft to be so expensive since I had the wrong camshaft selected originally.
A long block was about $3900-4200.

I'm closing in on that $3k mark fast with gaskets and stuff.


Typical me to halfass the research until It's go time.

 

[Bondo]

A long block was about $3900-4200.

Ayuh,..... I wouldn't trust the heads you've got, til tested, 'n rebuilt,.....
If one, or both are cracked, a set of Vortec's is the only answer,.....

At that point, the crate motor is lookin' pretty cheap,....

 

[Gibbles]

Ayuh,..... I wouldn't trust the heads you've got, til tested, 'n rebuilt,.....
If one, or both are cracked, a set of Vortec's is the only answer,.....

At that point, the crate motor is lookin' pretty cheap,....

Crossing fingers pretty much.
This was a pretty quick decision after family on both sides had already started making plans for the new to me boat!

I even got donations towards getting it done on my bday last week.
So, a with a little beer in me clicked "order now!"

I didn't start questioning myself until I looked at the crack again, I sure hate how the crack is up at the deck...

I also read that this block casting has been known to crack, so I'm hoping that side of the block was only half full of water...



So, I blame beer, but I can't stay mad at beer.

 

[Gibbles]

and of course, if it's new heads, then it's also a $500 intake.
And then a re-jetting kit.

 

[Scott Danforth]

crack in first pic pretty much says heads are cracked too

 

[Gibbles]

If it is, either junkyard or summit.
I see a set of 4.3 vortec heads on there for about $520 shipped.
Then the Edelbrock manifold (I think it's the PN2519) and whatever calibration kit goes with it...

What's another thousand bucks at this point!

 

[Pmt133]

FYI, the cast iron 4V vortec bolt pattern intakes exist online for around $300. Little cheaper than the edelbrock unit. Then you just need to jet your carb per the service manual. (If its the 4 barrel unit)

The distributor gear is a typical small block gear, you want a melonized one.

 

[itsathepete]

I would trust Melling's description of the cam over Summit's. Lot's of typos on Summit. High volume oil pump. Standard would be fine, but as the engine heats up or wears and pressure drops the high volume keeps the flow up.

Personally, I would have checked the classifieds or junkyard for a good early 2000s 4.3 from a truck. They come with brass freeze plugs from the factory, roller cam, vortec heads. Just put one in a boat last spring. Get a vortec intake and use the truck oil pan. You have to cut the marine dipstick tube to length for the truck oil pan but everything bolts up. I can usually find them for $500 or less

 

[Gibbles]

I would trust Melling's description of the cam over Summit's. Lot's of typos on Summit. High volume oil pump. Standard would be fine, but as the engine heats up or wears and pressure drops the high volume keeps the flow up.

Personally, I would have checked the classifieds or junkyard for a good early 2000s 4.3 from a truck. They come with brass freeze plugs from the factory, roller cam, vortec heads. Just put one in a boat last spring. Get a vortec intake and use the truck oil pan. You have to cut the marine dipstick tube to length for the truck oil pan but everything bolts up. I can usually find them for $500 or less

I have been looking off and on for a good match.
Hardest part is if I get a good core or not, I would like to avoid a machine shop if possible.
my last/first experience was a total joke.

I was planning to grab a running engine from a junkyard, then cross my fingers that I can just toss a hone, rings and bearings at the thing.

but pressure raised and I have a limited amount of time to get the boat ready in order to make everyone happy.

I just got an ad suggestion for a later model long block that would have been $3400 shipped (With a core charge) from ATK.

Most of the long blocks don't even have an Intake, but others do.

 

[itsathepete]

I don't know what your plans are for the boat, what condition it's in, or how much you plan to use it, but it's pretty hard to beat bang for the buck when you can get a good, relatively low mile engine from a truck for under $1000, put brass freeze plug in it, replace head bolts and gaskets if you want, and swap it into the boat in a weekend and be on the water. I ran a clapped out 4.3 from an 89 blazer with over 200000 miles in my old boat for 5 years before I sold it. Never had a problem from the engine. Didn't change head gaskets, just put in brass freeze plugs and marine accessories on it. As far as I know, It's still running. Last year, I bought a project non-vortec 4.3 boat and got a complete vortec 4.3 with all accessories for $500. Didn't want to buy a vortec intake, so I just put the old heads on the new block. My current boat has a 350 from a 98 chevy truck in it. I did rebuild it, but no machine work. Got the engine for $350 and less than 1000 in total. That was 3 years ago. You can spend as much or as little as you want.

 

[nola mike]

My engine was $180 from a wrecking yard blazer.

 

[Gibbles]

Yup, sounds like the plans i did have.
Bit whatever, i plan on enjoying the hell out of this boat!

 

[Gibbles]

And this is the 4 barrel LX version, so i have that going for me.

Worst case i replace the heads, Edelbrock intake, + jet kit.
I found the edlebrocm jet kit for $30, assuming i have the right carb.

I'm assuming i have a weber, and if i understand it's pretty close to the Edelbrock carb they list in the intake instructions...

 

[Pmt133]

The edelbrock calibration kit for the V6 is reported wrong by many on here. Calibrate it to service manual 18 or do a search around. The non vortec calibration is close if memory serves but the vortec intake and calibration is way off.

You either have a weber or quadrajet. Most likely a weber. And if the weber I'm pretty sure all the internal parts are interchangeable to the edelbrock.